


The Device

by RegalFirebird



Category: TWRP | Tupper Ware Remix Party (Band)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-26
Updated: 2018-10-29
Packaged: 2019-01-05 20:56:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12197262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RegalFirebird/pseuds/RegalFirebird
Summary: After fifty years of cryosleep, Doctor Sung and his companions are forced out of hiding and must find a new way to protect the Device. They are discovered by a human woman and taken in to her home in a small town in Canada. Meanwhile, the enemies they had eluded are closing in, threatening all life on Earth in their bid to capture the Device.





	1. Alone in the World

CRITICAL FAILURE  
CORE LEVELS: CATASTROPHIC  
PROTECT THE DEVICE

In the darkness of the spacecraft, three lines of text illuminated the central control panel screen. It was the first change in the ship’s comatose state in fifty years. The letters blinked out, and another statement appeared. 

EMERGENCY DEFROST 

Immediately the small ship erupted into chaotic sound. Emergency lighting snapped to life on the floors and walls of the narrow walkways. A siren wailed on the overhead system. Deeper in the ship, in a small chamber, three sleek pods shuddered and hissed as they received the order to wake up. The pods tilted up onto one end, lifted by hydraulics. Their glossy surfaces slowly opened from the bottom. In a few seconds, the capsule tops docked in their open position, their sudden stillness contradicting the urgency of the ship-wide alarm. 

A tall figure emerged from the first pod and coughed. He shook himself, his golden fur standing on edge at the sound bouncing painfully off the surfaces of the room. Commander Meouch’s ears flattened. He staggered over to the adjacent pod. Bracing one arm on the outside rim, he saw that its inhabitant wasn’t moving. Meouch swore and reached inside, taking them by the arm and hauling them towards him. They didn’t catch their feet and landed heavily against his chest. Meouch slung his unconscious shipmate over his shoulder. 

At the sound of a coughing fit, Meouch knew that his second companion had emerged from cryosleep without trouble. “Doctor,” he had to yell over the cacophony. “We have to get outside, now.” The man in the yellow exosuit nodded and ran towards the door, Meouch on his heels. When the door slid open, however, Doctor Sung took off down the hall in the wrong direction. “Hey!” Meouch felt his heart hammering against his ribs. There was no time for this. 

“I have to get it!” Sung’s voice echoed from a distant room. 

“Forget that stupid thing!” The Commander knew it was useless to try and dissuade him. He had no choice but to stand helplessly until he saw Doctor Sung sprinting back to him, carrying the protective case that held the Device. Meouch saw that the Doctor had also managed to activate the HAVVE as well, who was trailing silently behind him. Without a word they resumed their escape. 

The hallways were too small to run abreast; they were forced to flee single-file through passages that Meouch had to duck down in. He took care not to smash Lord Phobos’ head against any walls or corners. Meouch wondered what had caused the ship to wake them. There had been an agreement between them, before they entered the pods, that only under the gravest of circumstances would the ship call them back. Meouch was loath to think that the Odar had found them now. 

Sung slid to a halt before the final door, but it didn’t open. He tucked the case under his arm and pulled with both hands. The door remained closed. Meouch growled and passed Phobos gently to the HAVVE. “Be careful with him.” He warned. He pushed the struggling Doctor out of the way and took hold of the latch. He pulled back as hard as he could. Metal groaned and popped, and he felt the door start to give. Meouch saw Sung nervously bouncing his feet out of the corner of his eye. He paused to get a better grip and pulled again, throwing his whole body into the motion. After a terrible moment of indecision, the door slid halfway open with a snapping sound. “Go!” Meouch ordered, and Sung pushed the HAVVE forward. The robot struggled through the small opening, holding Phobos’ limp body close, and jumped to the ground. Sung blanched at the ten-foot drop, but Meouch saw him steel himself before making the jump as well. 

Meouch jumped last and hit the ground running, spotting Sung and the HAVVE several yards ahead of him, heading for the trees on the far side of the clearing. He took a look back at the ship, turning just in time to see the first explosion rip the plating from the port side. Meouch lengthened his stride and caught up with the others at the tree line. Sung didn’t take his eyes off his ship as it was blown apart in loud, violent plumes of flame. The explosions echoed off the forest around them. Meouch put his back against a tree and held on as the ground shook with the force.

Several moments later, silence returned. Commander Meouch looked to where the ship used to be, a crater of scorched earth and twisted metal. Sung was standing very still, his shoulders sagging as he stared at the aftermath. Meouch turned away and saw the HAVVE on one knee, holding Lord Phobos protectively against his chassis. The robot lifted its glowing optics to him as he approached. He instructed it to lay Phobos on the ground. Meouch put his hand under the tubing of Phobos’ helmet, feeling for a pulse. He held his breath. Nothing. Trying to stay calm, Meouch laid an ear against his chest. 

Neither of his hearts were beating. “Doctor, we need you!” He heard Sung running towards them. Sung dropped to his knees and took Phobos’ wrist, holding it against his cheek as he pushed his fingers into Phobos’ armpit. He was still for several moments. He put Phobos’ arm down and began unlocking the ballistic covering of his prismatic core. Meouch was afraid to speak but did anyway. “Is he alive?” 

“Yes.” Sung placed the covering on the ground and pulled wires from his chest plate, connecting them to the gauntlet on his right hand. Meouch heard electronic humming from Sung's gauntlet as Sung probed Phobos’ motionless chest with his left hand. Finding the desired place, Sung put his right hand over it and fanned his fingers. “Step back.” Meouch and the HAVVE obeyed immediately. Meouch watched Sung reach into his core, twisting the prism like a bulb until it clicked twice. Sung winced.

Doctor Sung pushed down on Phobos. There was a dull thud and Phobos’ body convulsed. Sung repeated the motion and Phobos’ body jumped. For a moment Sung didn’t move, then he put his fingers to Phobos’ neck. Meouch dared to step closer as the Doctor put his hand in Phobos’ armpit again. Sung looked up at him with a small smile. “He’ll be okay.” Meouch sighed loudly in relief and slapped Sung on the shoulder. 

“Nice work.” Sung shrugged and sat back to return the ballistic covering to his core. 

“The defrost must have disturbed his brainwaves. Set are more sensitive to sudden environmental changes than we are.”

Meouch grunted and sat down next to the Doctor. For the first time he realized how cold it was here. His fur fluffed up and he took in the dark woods around them. “I guess the Odar didn’t find us after all.” He said quietly. If it had been the Odar, they would have been dead already. But the forest was quiet. “The ship must have malfunctioned and activated its emergency protocol.” 

Sung finished his ministrations and pulled his knees closer to his chest. “Yeah. It was an old ship.” Meouch heard sadness in his voice. Meouch glanced to the HAVVE. Its snowy armor stood out eerily in the shadows as it peered into the brush, protecting, watching. 

“HAVVE.” The robot turned to him and cocked its head. “Scout the area, make sure no one finds us.” The HAVVE nodded and stalked off into the trees. Meouch saw Sung shiver and drew him close, putting a big arm around him. “We’ll be alright.” He assured him. Sung didn’t reply and huddled closer to the Commander’s warmth. Meouch watched the rise and fall of Phobos’ chest and waited for the HAVVE to return.


	2. Close Encounters With Robots Who Think You Speak French

It had snowed the night before, and the drifts were still soft as Lydia walked through the ankle-deep snow with her Newfoundland. The dog’s fluffy tail wagged as he trotted ahead of her, nosing up snow when it pleased him. Lydia put her head down against the chill wind while she followed him down the last block before the edge of town. The sun would be rising soon. It was a cold morning, but she enjoyed being awake before the rest of the world. She stepped off the sidewalk and called to Luke. He happily bounded back to her, kicking up snow. 

A few minutes later they reached the trail leading into the woods. The trees were washed in the deep blue light of a sunless sky and cast raking shadows over their path. Luke’s dark fur made him hard to spot, but Lydia wasn’t worried about him wandering. This had been their routine for three years: wake up, take a short walk, then head back for breakfast and the rest of their day. This tradition usually tapered off in the winter, but for now, Lydia didn’t mind the late September weather. 

Birds called overhead as it grew lighter around them. Luke had picked up a sizable branch and was trotting toward her with his prize. She smiled and made a playful grab at it, which he deftly dodged. The smell of cold earth and pine accompanied them on their way as they crested a small rise. Lydia’s boots sank into the mud below the snow. She considered the sky and decided it would be another few minutes before the sun would rise. 

Luke stopped. Lydia looked back at him, her breath clouding in the air. The fur between his shoulder blades rose and he growled sharply. He showed his teeth and barked, bouncing on his front paws. She followed his gaze quickly to see something vanish behind a tree. Her blood went cold. It was tall, taller than any of the local animals she had seen before. A bear? The suggestion sent a chill down the back of her neck. 

Luke barked and barked, prancing nervously and swishing his fluffed-up tail. Lydia kept her eyes fixed on the wide trunk she had seen the thing disappear behind. She slowly reached to her belt for the pepper spray she carried. What unnerved her the most was Luke’s reaction. She had never heard him bark more than twice at something, but whatever was hiding behind that tree was threatening enough to send her sweet-tempered boy into a frenzy. That made her decidedly uneasy. 

Lydia decided to try and flush the thing into the open, so at least she could have an idea of how to deal with it. “Hello…” Her voice shook and she noticed she was afraid. “I saw you go behind that tree. You don’t have to be scared.” She tried to breathe normally while she waited for something to happen. Luke growled and brushed against the back of her legs. Lydia put a hand on his head. 

In a single motion the thing stepped from behind the tree and the fear in her throat choked off her scream. It was nearly seven feet tall, armored in white and black plate. It stared at her with searing red eyes. She drew her gaze from its massive jaws to the tips of its hooked fingers, trying to make sense of what was in front of her. Lydia tried to force herself to believe it was just someone from town pulling a prank, but with a dark sense of dread knew this monster was not human. It tilted its head, regarding her. Lydia found it hard to breathe. She took a step back and tripped over Luke, landing hard on her back. The dog whined and jumped away, his ears flat and eyes rolling with fear. 

The monster answered with a step of its own, its motion smooth and terrifying. It took another step, now peering down at her, silhouetted against the hazy pink sky. Lydia put a hand over her throat even while knowing the motion was foolish. This thing could kill her easily if it wished, she knew. Moving with the same unearthly grace, it extended a hand almost to her face. This time she did scream. It flinched back. The moments crawled past while it studied her. Lydia feared that moving would prompt it to attack, so she lay as still as possible. 

A burst of static interrupted the calm, and Lydia realized it had come from the armored thing. It jerked its head and seemed almost annoyed. The static continued and Lydia dared to prop herself onto an elbow, watching as the monster reared back to its full height. The static stopped and it snapped its fiery gaze to her. “ _Bonjour_.” A far-off, tinny voice greeted, coming from somewhere in the monster’s head. Lydia brow wrinkled. She spoke passable French but was unsure how to reply. Or if she should say anything at all. The thing inclined its head. “ _Parles-tu Français_?” 

At her continued silence, there came an oddly human-sounding sigh. It spoke again. “Hello? Hello, is this better?” It sounded as if it were talking through a very old radio. Lydia decided playing mute was not in her best interest anymore. 

“Yes,” she answered slowly, finding she was now curious as well as afraid. 

“Excellent! My name is Doctor Sung. I’m speaking to you remotely through this HAVVE unit.” Lydia found the man’s light voice to be in direct conflict with the thing’s frightening, impassive face. She felt the wet of melted snow start to seep through her clothing, but she still didn’t want to risk moving. Strangely, it was at that moment that the HAVVE, or whatever he called it, bent and scooped her off the ground without a sign of effort. It placed her on her feet before she had a chance to make a sound. Lydia shivered and stepped back, hoping it wouldn’t follow her this time. The HAVVE remained where it was. 

The man spoke again. “Please, we need your help. One of my companions is injured, and we’re… very cold.” 

Lydia narrowed her eyes. “What the hell is this? Who are you?” 

“I thought I told her…” He mumbled to himself, before addressing her again. “I’m Doctor Sung. This is Havve Hogan, my prototype. We’re stranded in the woods without a place to go.” 

Lydia breathed slowly, trying to understand what he was saying. “Do you know where you are?” She jumped a little when the HAVVE turned abruptly and pointed north-west. 

“About three kilometers that way.” 

Lydia thought for a moment. “I’m assuming you don’t have cell signal if you’re stranded. Do you need me to call emergency services?” 

“No!” She blinked at the emphatic response. “Um, please don’t.” Sung cleared his throat. “We don’t want… attention.” 

Lydia was beginning to understand. She resisted taking another step back. They had to be criminals. They had gone into the woods to hide until the smoke cleared from whatever they had done, but had gotten stuck out there somehow. She warily sized up the robot, its white armor shining in the sunrise. It was dangerous, she knew, but if she could give it the slip while it was looking away… 

It turned back to her suddenly. She realized he was waiting for her to say something. “I… really can’t help you.” She glanced around quickly, looking for Luke, but didn’t see him. At least he had gotten away. Anxiety rose in her chest as she met the HAVVE’s blank stare. “I have to leave now.” Her heartbeat quickened when Sung didn’t reply. Havve Hogan walked toward her; she did her best not to flinch. 

“I can’t let that happen. You might do something irrational.” 

Lydia scoffed in his face. “As if following a weird robot into the woods is any kind of rational.” She flinched when the HAVVE’s fingers closed around her arm. 

“I’m sorry, but I can’t let you leave.” He sounded like he did regret it. Lydia stiffened but said nothing. The HAVVE turned and tugged on her arm, wanting her to follow. Although she could tell it was meant as a light gesture, it was strong enough to send her staggering forward. The HAVVE paused briefly for her to right herself before continuing to lead them deeper into the forest, away from the rising sun.


	3. A Human Thing

Meouch didn’t sleep that night, instead keeping watch while his companions slept. After they sent Havve Hogan away, he and Sung had constructed a shelter from the local vegetation. The result was large enough to comfortably house two, and sufficiently covered with greenery to trap their body heat. They moved Phobos to the shelter first and Meouch covered him with his jacket. Sung had insisted on staying awake but failed to make it through the first hour. When Meouch found him passed out against a tree trunk, he picked him up and settled him next to Phobos. 

The absolute darkness of the night set him on edge and had him jumping at every sound. There was no ambient light from any cities. Meouch was worried how far from civilization they were. It was a precaution they had taken not to be discovered, but it also meant there was no help for them nearby. In their ragged state, they would be easy prey for whatever wild animals this planet had. 

An hour past dawn, Meouch was shivering. A fine layer of frost coated his mane and fur, and he couldn’t get warm no matter how much he paced. He glanced to the shelter, visible again in the sunlight. He approached and ducked down to peer inside. Sung was awake, sitting cross-legged with his back to him. The lights of his helmet were dancing. Meouch knew he was communicating with the HAVVE. 

_“Good morning, Commander.”_ The familiar brush of Phobos’ consciousness set a wide grin on his face. Meouch turned his eyes to Phobos, sitting with his back against the tree they had built the shelter around. Phobos’ visor was trained to him. 

“Damn, it is good to hear your voice!” He felt Phobos’ smile in his mind. 

_“It’s good to be here, with the living. I understand I have the Doctor to thank?”_

“Yeah. I’ve seen him bring back guys like that on the battlefield. And he’s still humble about it.” Meouch looked to Sung, who hadn’t moved. He was still transmitting and couldn’t hear them. 

_“I’ll extend my appreciation to him. I assume Havve Hogan is scouting?”_ Meouch nodded and sat back on his heels. He pricked up his ears but couldn’t detect any threatening noises. _“And you haven’t slept?”_

“No. I don’t trust this planet.” 

_“I would be happy to stay awake in your stead.”_ Meouch smiled but shook his head, scattering melted ice from his mane. 

“Thanks, but you shouldn’t move for a while. I know how sore you are from last night.” Phobos didn’t respond and rotated his shoulders, testing. Meouch could tell he was in pain. 

_“We should all share the burden. The planet is unfamiliar, and it would be unfair of me to-”_

“I already told you no.” Meouch admonished lightly. “You need to rest. The three of us can take it from here.”

Phobos sighed. _“I’m not as fragile as you suppose. But if it’s what you want, I’ll stay here.”_

Before Meouch could reply, Sung sprang up and nearly put a hole in the roof. Meouch instinctively threw his hands in front of his face. Sung scrambled out of the shelter in a frenzy. “What the hell?!” Meouch shouted after him as he ran to where the HAVVE had disappeared the night before. The Doctor’s chest heaved and his legs shook with excitement. 

“He found someone.” Sung didn’t turn around. 

“Someone? What does that mean?” Meouch stalked over to him. He put a large hand on his shoulder and forced Sung to look up at him. 

“She looked like me! She looked like a Therbrin!” It was plainly hard for Sung to contain himself, and Meouch’s stomach dropped when he realized what Sung had done. He lowered his face next to Sung’s. 

“Tell me you aren’t bringing it to us.” Sung held his ground and didn’t answer. “We don’t know what these things can do! How stupid can you be!?” Meouch’s voice rose in anger. Sung dared to reply.

“What chance do we have on our own? We’ll freeze to death or get eaten if we don’t get help.” Meouch bared his teeth. 

“I know, but making contact when we have no clue what this species is capable of is-” The sound of dry branches snapping brought their argument up short. They turned to the noise and saw the HAVVE emerge into the small clearing, bringing the human by the arm. Meouch stiffened, feeling his fur rise. He let go of Sung and folded his arms, pleased that she seemed unable to meet their eyes. He could taste her fear. The Doctor was right; she did look like a Therbrin. 

“Please don’t be afraid.” Sung rushed out, taking a hopeful step forward. Meouch let out a cautionary growl. 

“She only looks like your people. She may be more dangerous.” Sung wavered, torn between his trust of the Commander and his curiosity. The human finally lifted her eyes to study them. He was surprised to see the intelligence of a civilized race in her eyes and expression. Her hands were shaking, but she kept her face clear. She looked at Sung, who stood a little taller under her inspection. Meouch almost rolled his eyes. When she turned her attention to him, he narrowed his eyes and stared back. He was surprised when she didn’t shy away but chalked it up to ignorance. No one in their right mind would stare down a fully-grown Ocelthax unless they wanted a fight. 

But her eyes conveyed only interest and wariness. Maybe humans and Therbrins were related, as Sung thought. 

“How can I understand you?” Meouch’s ears lifted at her voice, distinctly female. It had been a long time since he had heard a woman speak. 

“Translation chips.” Sung answered instantly. He tapped his helmet. “We all have them. The tech communicates what we say in our own language to the listener’s language.” The human stared hard at him. A long moment dragged by.

“You’re not… from here.” Her voice was faint. Meouch couldn’t tell if it was a question, but answered anyway. 

“We’re from the Taurus Nebula, Athos Galaxy.” Her face paled. She looked up at him in disbelief. Meouch shifted. It made him uncomfortable how openly she stared at him. 

Sung cut in. “You’ve never seen an alien before?” His voice was soft, but the undertone of excitement was obvious. The woman shook her head slowly, face almost as white as Havve Hogan’s armor. Her trembling became more pronounced. Meouch almost felt sorry for her. He could tell her fear was genuine, but decided it would be foolish to drop his guard. “You don’t have to be afraid of us.” Sung continued, approaching until he was an arms-length away. “What’s your name?”

She stared blankly at him. She swayed before falling backwards. Havve Hogan caught her before Sung could react. Sung turned back to Meouch, looking alarmed. “What did I do?” 

“I don’t think it was you. It must be a human thing.”


	4. Discovery

Phobos let go of his physical form and drew himself inward. The mental fog that had settled had diminished, but was still present. Irritating. He flexed his awareness, feeling it bend and turn as expected, and dared to reach out. The world swam up to meet him, feathering the edge of his consciousness. Phobos felt the hard bark of the trees and the coldness of the snow, juxtaposed with the beating hearts of small furry bodies hidden in nests and burrows. He risked more distance. The crater from their ship still smoldered with invisible heat. He touched the ruined edges of metal and wire and wondered if anything had survived. With resignation, he recognized the deep ache of exhaustion pricking his mind. Phobos withdrew.

He opened his eyes and rested against the tree at his back. The Commander was leaning against a tree looking out into the forest. This planet’s sun had risen, casting down clear light that was almost warm when the wind wasn’t blowing. Phobos turned his head to see Doctor Sung attending the fallen human, with the HAVVE looking on. Sung had ignored Meouch’s warnings against touching her, and a brief argument followed that had set the air thick with tension. Phobos noted he had taken off his gauntlets.

_"Do you think it’s wise to be making direct contact?”_ Sung rested the back of his hand on her cheek and didn’t look up.

“She’s not poisonous.” The reply was barbed. Phobos knew his hackles were still raised from the fight with Meouch. Phobos decided not to answer. Truth be told, he wasn’t surprised Sung had engrossed himself with her care despite the possible cost. This was not the first time he had endangered himself for the sake of others. Phobos heard him sigh.

“I’m sorry, that was uncalled for.”

Phobos inclined his head. _“No need to apologize.”_ He looked down at the human, lying on her back on the ground. Phobos didn’t need to ask why Sung wanted her here, aside from the obvious fact they needed help. _“She is very much like your people, Doctor. I don’t think I would have been able to stop myself either.”_

Sung was quiet, but the softening of his shoulders told Phobos he appreciated his words. The human began to stir. Sung backed off, giving her room to sit up on her own. She rubbed her eyes then seemed to remember where she was. She stiffened and lowered her hands. She stared hard at Sung, who stared back, and a moment passed.

“What’s the last thing you remember?” He asked. Her dark hair caught the breeze. Her look was guarded, but she answered.

“You’re aliens.”

“Very good.” Meouch’s sarcastic comment set Sung visibly on edge. Meouch sauntered back to the group and looked disapprovingly at the human. “And we’re here to take over your world, right?” The woman glared at him.

“You’re off to a pretty bad start if you are.” Phobos saw Sung trying very hard not to laugh. Meouch bared his teeth but didn’t challenge her further. She looked around, warily sizing up the HAVVE, who tilted his head at her. Sung jumped in to try and save the conversation.

“You’ve met Havve Hogan.”

“You said he was your prototype.”

Sung smiled. “Mostly. He’s got a lot of Enforcer-class HAVVE components, which I didn’t build, but I’ve modified his protocols significantly. He’s a work in progress.” She appraised the HAVVE uncertainly. Phobos decided to stay quiet in favor of an introduction from Sung, whom she seemed least threatened by. “This is Commander Meouch.” Sung continued. The woman locked eyes with Meouch again. She stood up, causing Sung to spring to his feet also. To Phobos’ great surprise, she extended her hand to him. Phobos watched as Meouch looked from her face to her hand, his guarded expression now betraying confusion to the knowledgeable observer.

The human smiled a little. “It’s a handshake. It’s how we greet people we don’t know.” Meouch’s eyes darted over to Sung before considering the woman again. Meouch folded his arms and shifted his weight away from her.

“I’ll pass.” The cold words didn’t seem to faze the woman, although she withdrew her hand with some reluctance. Sung gestured to Phobos.

“Our resident royalty, Lord Phobos.” Phobos started to stand; Sung, noticing this, rushed over to help him. With their combined efforts, Phobos found his feet and nodded his thanks to the doctor. Hesitant, Sung stepped away to let him stand on his own. Phobos bowed as gracefully as he could.

_"My lady. The pleasure is mine.”_ She looked bewildered.

 “How are you doing that?” She asked with no small amount of wonder. Phobos smiled internally.

_"Set communicate telepathically. We cannot speak as other races do.”_ She stared hard at him, curiosity and misgiving in her eyes. He continued. _“Do you not have telepaths on your world?”_

“No…”

“It’s nothing to be scared of, really.” Sung rushed to explain. “Set aren’t mind readers. They’re capable of transmitting their thoughts into people’s minds, but they can’t hear what you’re thinking. You have to talk to them for that.” Lydia looked at Phobos apprehensively.

Sung nervously bounced his feet before speaking. “Now you know all of us. What about you?” The woman looked at them all in turn, hesitation built solidly in the tense lines of her shoulders. After several anxious moments of silence, she met Sung’s eyes as nearly as she could behind his visor.

“My name is Lydia Wallace. It’s… nice to meet you all.” She added after a beat. Sung broke into a broad grin.

[WALLACE.] HAVVE Hogan chirped. The bubbly sound drew a small smile the human. The HAVVE opened his jaws in a mime of her expression, and she laughed. Meouch scowled, his amber eyes narrowed. Phobos knew the Ocelthax would have words with Sung about this later. Lydia turned to Sung.

“So, what are you doing here?” Sung’s smile faded. He crossed his arms before replying.

“It’s not a short story. In summary, we’re hiding here in hopes we’ll be safe from-” He was cut off by a snarl from Meouch. The Commander pinned Sung with an angry stare.

“We can’t trust her. We don’t know this planet or its people.”

“If we stay out here, we’ll die.” Sung reasoned. “And you were the one who told her where we were from, genius.”

Meouch snorted. “I did, but that’s different than letting her in on our mission.”

Phobos felt the exertion of standing growing heavy on him and he took a staggering step backwards. Sung was at his side instantly. “Whoa, hey,” Sung soothed, drawing one of Phobos’ arms over his shoulders to steady him.

_“Thank you, Doctor.”_ Phobos burned with embarrassment, ashamed that Lydia had seen his weakness. He trusted the others’ perception of him was unchanged, but he didn’t want Lydia to pity him.

“We can’t stand around forever, Phobos needs rest.” Sung said firmly, addressing Meouch. “Either we trust Lydia Wallace or we find shelter somewhere else. It’s too cold to stay here.”

“Just Lydia is fine.” Lydia said quietly. She shivered as a cold wind came through the trees. Havve Hogan tilted his head at her then looked at Sung imploringly.

“Fine.” Meouch threw up his hands. “Let’s take a gigantic risk on this alien you just kidnapped. I’m sure everything will turn out _great_.” He stalked up to Lydia and got in her face, causing her to shrink from him. “Don’t think for a second I haven’t got my eye on you.”

_“Commander. There is no need for that.”_ The last thing Phobos wanted was for her to run to this planet’s authorities and turn them in. Phobos knew well how aliens experiencing first contact reacted when threatened; he wanted to avoid confrontation at all costs.

“Whatever.” Meouch spat and stalked away, fuming.

_“I apologize for the Commander’s misgivings. We have been hunted for many years.”_ Phobos’ legs ached but he ignored them. She shrugged, her expression doubtful.

“It’s okay.” She spoke slowly. “I’m not really sure what to think. I mean, I was walking my dog and then this thing comes out of nowhere and grabs me…” She trailed off and shivered.

“Hey, I’m sorry about that.” Sung apologized. “I really didn’t mean to scare you.” Phobos could feel how taut his muscles were. Lydia took another breath and turned to Sung and Phobos.

“You said you’re being hunted?” She asked. Phobos exchanged a look with Sung.

“Might as well.” Sung murmured, casting a glance over to Meouch, who was learning against the same tree as earlier, pointedly ignoring them. Phobos nodded his agreement.

_“We’re pursued by a race called the Odar. They declared war on the civilizations of the Athos Galaxy when we were young. By the time we left our homes, the war had worn on for decades and had consumed our galaxy. The Odar sought to subdue us, to expand their empire. They came from beyond the most distant planets in our galaxy – the Old World – and made war on Tyven, the Ocelthax homeworld. It was the first world to fall._

_“The races of the Athos Galaxy united to face the Odar and pushed them back to the Old War. The Odar built strongholds on the desert planet Sar and its moons, and soon expanded to other regions of the Old World. When I came of age, the war had stood at a bloody stalemate for three years, and I was stationed as a pilot on the moon Nevrein. That is where I met the Doctor.”_

Sung nodded and spoke up. “Before we go any further, we should get out of this cold. You really need to rest.” Phobos sighed and leaned more heavily on Sung, who shouldered the extra weight with ease. “He can be a bit long-winded.” Sung smiled at Lydia.

Lydia gave him a dubious look. “You think I can help you?” She cast a glance at Phobos, who was now totally relying on Sung to keep him standing. “I know you’re in bad shape, but…”

“I told you she wouldn’t help us.” Meouch called to them without turning.  

Lydia glared at the back of his head. “Look, I don’t know who you think I am, but I’m just a regular person. I have a small house, a dog, and a steady job. I’m sorry you had to leave your homes because of the Odar, but I don’t know what you think I can do about it.” 

“It’s a lot to ask-” Sung started, but Lydia cut him off.

“I’m sorry, but I really can’t help you. I don’t have the space for four aliens to just hang out in my house. And what do you eat? I don’t know that either!” She fell quiet, kicking absently at the snow. Phobos could tell she was frustrated but noted she hadn’t dismissed them due to a lack of trust.  

_“You don’t fear us, do you?”_ Lydia looked down, as if embarrassed.

“I don’t. I don’t know why I don’t.” She confessed.

_“Without your aid, we will most likely be captured or killed by other inhabitants of this planet. If there is a way for you to house us for only a short while, I beg you to consider it.”_ Lydia was quiet for several moments. Phobos’ hearts pounded in his chest while he waited for her answer.

“If I let you stay with me, how long will it be until you’re gone?” She asked hesitantly. Sung struck a winning smile.

“Just a few days. You won’t even know we’re there.” Lydia sighed. Phobos could see in her eyes she wouldn’t deny them, and hope swelled in him.

“Alright. But just a few days.” She looked over to Meouch, who had taken to silently watching their exchange. “My dog, Luke, he’s not… great with cats.”


End file.
